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Since Greenie used chunks and I did see some good eye candy during this cruise, I'm calling mine hunks..LOL and calling it hunks will grab everyone's attention.

It's going to be long and I might brag about some things that all cruise lines have but this being my first cruise, I'll be going on and on about little things like those turn dials on the door! LOVED THEM! okay here goes.....

Embarktion: Hell on earth. We arrived at the pier at about 11:30 and sat in so much traffic because of some idiots who decide "oh wait...what a good idea - let me stop the car in the middle of the lane and unpack my car". Once we got outta the car and dropped our luggage off with our porters I thought "Okay - I made it. time to get the party started."

Well that party had to wait due to a little thing called boarding. We would have to wait in the cattle pen area with the 'regulars' but since Adam's friend was special needs we got to go with the VIP (the truth is, I mentioned my name and they summoned me forward ). While waiting in line to show our ticket and passport I hear "Tim..Tim" and I turn around to see Mark and Marit (nycglitter) and Judy and Mary (judyf and her mom). What a great way to start off the cruise! Adam was like geeeesh we're not even on board yet and you know people!

Next is security aptly known as strip tease from now on. I had so much stuff in my hands and my pockets that it took forever to empty them all. Then I had the great fun of taking my belt off - now my jeans I was wearing were a little big on the waist so they were starting to fall down as I was walking through the security machine. I'm sure people behind me were thinking "Well we found the slut of the cruise!" LOL

the rest was uneventful until we got to pick up our room keys and low and behold - a girl I go to school with was working it. Too ironic and funny!

Then we got our picture taken and I walked out of the pier and saw the Dawn in person for the very first time. I wanted to run up and kiss it but the thing called water wouldn't let me!

Cabin #4508: Adam and I had a category H room - Deck 4 all the way forward (ALLLL THE WAYYY FORWARD) which we learned the first time going to our room using the mid elevators - it was like walking a mile it seemed. Here's a tour of our room. As we walked in, on our right was bathroom #1 which I loved. The shower was great - LOVED the nozzle (whoaaaa you dirty minds you). It was a little cramped for two people . The toilet area was fun to maneuver around after trying to get up and pull your pants back up..I always hit something somewhere. Loved the sliding glass doors to separate the areas of our bathroom. After looking for bathroom #2, we realized oh that's upstairs near the stardust theatre - silly me. If you walk forward oh about 1 step, you enter the living room aka 2 chairs and a vanity. We liked to use this area to relax while the other was getting ready for dinner - those 2 chairs made our cabin memorable. If you walk another step (I know it's far bear with me), you get to the bedroom area, bedroom #1 (bedroom #2 is the hot tub behind the bimini bar - woops have I said too much?? LOL). The bed was sooo comfy and I loved the duvet cover.

We really thought the cabin was perfect from the size to the layout to the bathroom. But we were a little mad we didn't splurge for the balcony. We know for next time to get that!

Food: The first meal was so memorable - we enjoyed the 50% off special and ate in Cagney's (or how I called it all week 'Caaaaggggneys') and we had a window seat and watched the sunset. Just perfect. That was my favorite meal of the week. The filet mignon was out of this world - it actually melted in my mouth. The service was outstanding - I filled out a comment card like I learned on CC since our waitress was wonderful.

Monday night we ate in the Venetian for formal night. The service was a little slow but the food was great and that dining room is beautiful.

Tuesday was Impressions which I loved the ambience and setting and thought the food was pretty good. Not bad or anything but not spectacular. I forget what I had since all I did was eat non stop all week.

Wednesday night we ate in La Trattoria (which I didn't know was the Garden Cafe but at night). I had chicken parm (SURPRISE!!) - it was good but nothing like home. I don't think I would go back there especially due to the fact that it was the Garden Cafe turned into La Tratroria - just didn't sit well with me coming from an Italian family.

Thursday night was awesome! We ate at salsa's and had a great window seat. We loved the service, food, and setting. I took a picture of one of the paintings because I loved it so much. Even down to the settings all matching each other design wise - it was just fantastic. I had the fajitas - delicious!

Friday night was the MM dinner and my least favorite meal. We ate in Aqua's and I thought the service was some of the best we had but I didn't care for the meal at all. I had the beef wellington and it didn't taste right but I'm not fussy so I didn't make a big deal or anything.

Saturday night - AWESOME with a captial AWE. We ate at Le Bistro (just me and Adam this time because we wanted a romantic last meal). I had the filet mignon and he had the salmon. It was delicious and dining among those masterpieces was breath taking. For dessert...OMG..ahhh I'm remembering it now and my mouth is watering...I got the cheesecake and the chocalate fondue (thanks to Marit's advice) and dipped the cheesecake in the chocolate. I thought Adam was rubbing my leg or something under the table because this dessert was sending shockwaves through my body. I finished the cheesecake and started to eat the chocolate with a spoon. Once I heard my belt make some noises due to my waist expanding, I thought that was enough!

Overall, I thought the food was outstanding. Great choices, always hot, always served with a smile, and always delicious. The bad part of the food was the buffet. I thought it was the opposite of the ship - no selection, always lukewarm food, and when I found the hot food, it wasn't good. Room service was good - we ordered pizza one night at about 1 am and we thought we'd get slices so we ordered 3 and instead they brought 4 small pizzas which were pretty good (not like home but still good). Mmmm that ball of cheese sitting in my stomach throughout the night was just wonderful. Like I said, I didn't stop eating the entire week - Adam kept laughing at me because I was ALWAYS hungry and there was always food to eat!

Oh one more thing - The blue lagoon was so cute. We went there twice - both times I got chicken fingers and fries which were tasty. I thought it was a great addition to the ship esp. since it's open 24 hours a day. And I got to sing and dance in my chair to the jukebox. I got the looks from people but will I ever see them again? NOPE!

Entertainment: Colin by far is one of the funniest guys I've ever met. I got to meet him at the MG and the party Carol and Barry (cmorebmc) held in their GV last night. He's a genuinely nice guy and is so much fun. He really made it memorable. The assistant CD, Rob - I'll give him an A+ for effort but that's it. He tried waaaaayyy too hard to be funny and it came off as extremely annoying. He is a really nice guy though but he shoudl quit trying to be really funny like Colin because it doesn't work. The welcome aboard comedy party was so much fun on Sunday night (we left the welcome aboard showtime early to go to that). I thought South beach rave was very entertaining except for that lead singer - Laura I think. She was kind of annoying. I LOVED Edge - he was such a blast and the funniest show of the week. Spaking of funny, 2nd city wasn't..LOL The small girl was the worst of the bunch but the blonde girl who also did liar's club Friday night was really funny. I really enjoyed Bollywood and the cast afterwords.

Overall for entertainment, I thought it was good (a B or B+). The shows were okay but Colin definitely made them all a blast.

Itinerary: I wasn't thrilled about that in the first place but I thought it was a good one for a first cruise. We spent too much time in PC and not enough in Miami. GSC was really nice and we got great seats under a palm tree (a few of which I hugged - pictures to follow!) but it was kind of like Coney Island especially when the idiots started feeding the seagulls then i got a flashback to Birds the movie when one of them ate the hotdog off my friends plate. Snorkeling wasn't like what I thought it was but if you go by the rocks to the right you see some cool fish. We went to Atlantis at night in Nassau which is GORGEOUS. We did the digs for free and then walked around outside and I lost in the casino. The next morning we shopped. I really liked the overnight better and there were shops opened at night and then the next morning all the shops were open. It seemed we were in Florida way more than the Bahamas which I guess is true.

Service: I can't say enough good things about the staff on board. Our room steward Garry was AWESOME. I tipped him Sunday night and then this morning too because he was phenominal. The staff in the restaurants were always smiling and the ship was always clean due to the great work by the staff. I met one unfriendly staff member but out of 2000, that's good in my book.

Negative things: I thought the ship was layed out a little oddly - especially getting to the Venetian. We were so confused the first time we tried getting there. the ship has it's quirks but you'll learn them after the first day or so. by day 5 I swore to myself I wouldn't walk through the buffet again but I did about 5 times a day. LOL

They need a lounge or place where they play music from clubs, etc for younger people becase I would have enjoyed dancing to that more than disco or sock hop (even though I had a blast at both especially when I got to do my Elvis impression to the 50s and 60s music - so much fun!)

Overall, I can't say enough good things about this trip or the ship or NCL. I loved freestyle as did Adam and his two friends. I would like to try traditional but the thougth of it makes me uneasy. It was great to say "hey we should relax and then eat dinner at 8" instead of making plans around when we eat. I can't wait to book my next with the cruiseline!

There's so much more I can write but I want to keep it not toooooooo long so I don't bore everyone since it's my first review. Oh about the rude passengers thread on here a few weeks back...I ran into a few of them but the key to remember is hey I'm on vacation - should I let them ruin my day? Absolutely not. The majority of pax on there were fun, friendly, and courteous even when I wore my red sox hat. I loved having conversations at dinner with the couple next to us, or in the elevator, or on the beach.

Everything about this trip was great and I'd be happy to answer questions. I probably left a ton out but I put a ton in so I guess it all works. Oh and I saw Greenie's forklift and had to use it many times!

And since you made it ALL THE WAY to the end, I have attached a picture of a hunk for your viewing pleasure....ENJOY. LOL

WELCOME HOME TIM...
I'm so glad that your first cruise was such a success...and that you've been able to post your "review" so quickly. How fortunate you were to be able to go to a party in the Garden Villa!

Hope you don't have too much trouble getting back to reality now! It sounds like it's official...you have become a full fledged cruise addict now!

Tim....SOOOO glad you had such a great time!!!!! Told you so! Told you so! Your Red Sox had a fabulous game against the NYY yesterday....I was thinking about you on the Dawn during the entire game which I watached on TV! One must never expect really good Italian food on a cruise..that can only be eaten at home or in a true Italian restaurant----you know that! Welcome home...I know we have all missed your frequent postings....GREAT review!!!!
Aloha nui loa, Barby

Tim - Nice review, you are too funny! I'm glad you liked Le Bistro. I, like you, was eating the chocolate with a spoon AFTER dipping everything that wasn't nailed down on the table. LOVED it!!! Mark was embarrassed, so I stopped. BTW, another proud moment for Mark was one of the photo's that Carol gave us this morning...after trying one of the decadent chocolate covered strawberries at Carol and Barry's party, I happily smiled (still euphoric from the chocolate) for the ship's photographer... SURPRISE, in the picture, I have a huge hunk of chocolate in my teeth. Pretty! You can't take me anywhere!

Can't wait for a reunion. I'm still thinking NYC one nice sunny Saturday!!!

__________________
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RCL Oasis of the Seas August 2014
Celebrity Equinox August 2013
Celebrity Summit July 2008
NCL Spirit October 2007
NCL Spirit September 2007NCL Dawn September 2007Crown Princess July 2007NCL Dawn May 2005 NCL Dawn May 2004Carnival Ecstacy June 1998Carnival Jubilee June 1988

I'm so glad you had such a wonderful trip. We missed your lively banter this week. I loved your review and that "hunky" picture. I can't wait to see the rest of your pics.

Since we're cruising with our 21 year old son, I'm really interested in any advice you have to make his cruise enjoyable. We aren't bringing any of his friends along, so I'm hoping he finds enough to keep him busy.

What did you and Adam do in PC and Miami? We are still trying to figure out excursions.

Welcome back, Tim. Loved your review and I'm looking for the next installment. So glad you and Adam had a great time. I'd love to be on the next cruise your on. I know I'd have a blast. Loved your picture, let's see some more. Pictures that is. LOL

Thanks Tim and also NYCGlitter for putting up your reviews so fast! It took me several times on the Dawn before I even got a glimpse of the GV (a fellow CC'er was kind enough to invite us up there, too! ), so you guys really had quite a treat. For a first cruise, it'll be hard to top!

What is the comedy showtime kickoff? Never heard of that before. I knew you'd adore Colin. You just hate to miss a show because he makes everything so special. We couldn't believe our eyes when he filled the Spinnaker for napkin folding!

I could "hear" you moaning at Le Bistro. It's such a wonderful experience! Cheesecake in the fondue is a first for me, though! Too funny, you're so thin!

But with your cabin location, sounds like you and Adam could have used a couple Hooter Scooters!

Hey Tim!,That was a great review, now I really cant wait to go on my cruise!! I leave in July, and its not soon enough! . I have a question, how was getting to GSC I read a few posts were people have said to get on the line early, is there a line? Do you need a ticket? :::::so confused!::::: LOLThanks!Lauren

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Can't wait to see your pics, hey your from Middlesex County NJ? I go to college at MCC!

Marit - Ahhh I wish I could have seen that picture! I'm sure Mark is loving it and will probably frame it. Omg a day in the city over the summer would be fantastic!

Lauren - If you want to head over to GSC early (before 11 which I advise you do) you have to get in line at the shore excursions desk which they start handing out at 8 am. I got there at 8 and the line snaked back through the pearly kings pub and back into the grand atrium. I got numbers 442-445 and by 9:00 I was called (maybe it was 9:15), but we had good spots on the beach. By 11 it's 'on your own' tendering and by noon the tenders were less than half ful and started to fill up for the way back because it was so hot. I think getting in line at 8 was a good thing for us - I literally rolled outta bed and got on line then went back and got ready and then we were called.

bahama2 - Want to see more of me??? We are supposed to keep these boards clean!

jrose - In PC, myself and Adam did Islands of Adventure Express pass. We really had a great time but we wished the park was a little bigger. In retrospect we would have rather hafl the day in IOA and half in Universal but IOA was great fun..you should look into that. In Miami, we took the hopper to South Beach - spent a few hours there and then walked around the art deco district and did some shopping and then headed over to the bayside mall (on the hopper) for more shopping and got some lunch. We then went back to the ship to enjoy the pool. ***Warning for everyone...Make sure to always wear flip flops in the pool area especially when the ship gets down to FL and the BAhamas because the pool area and lounge chair area gets realllllyyy hot and I burned the bottom of my feet once..LOL***

As far as what there is to do on ship - Spinnakers Lounge at night was always alot of fun even with the 70s or 50s/60s music. In the beginning Colin and his crew would host fun games and then it would turn into the 'dance club' featuring that night's music. I wish they would have had music that I liked but I make my own fun and just danced to whatever. I saw a few guys become friends during the week and they would hang out with eachother towards the end of the week (they were about my age or a little younger). If your DS is outgoing and enjoys what's in front of him, he'll be fine. I thought night life after about midnight was lacking but by then I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep because you wake up early and then you're doing things all day so it catches up to you by midnight or 1 am.

edurban - I LOVE that itinerary! I want to go back on the Dawn and do the 10 or 11 day but I wish it was offered in the summer!

cruisinbunnies - Once I get my photos cropped and all you'll be able to see me practically molesting a palm tree (i love them)..

Yeah greenie posted in her review that she was eating so much that a forklift had to come and carry her back to her room..heh heh. Hmmm that would be useful in getting the keg on board.

barby - Did you see they won yesterday too??? I loved rubbing it in Mark's face since he's a yankee fan. I got it from a few fans when I was up by the pool Saturday but it was all in good fun. they were chanting boston sucks and I was waving my hat around. Then I had a drunken cubs fan yell niiceee haattttt to me. Fun!!

Okay my next mission is going to target and getting the prints of my pictures, putting it on a CD, and posting them here!

Oh, I thought that WAS Brad Pitt! Even tho you're a Bo Sox fan and we have alost a lot lately...that was on of the best reviews I ever read! I couldn't stop laughing and am sooo glad you guys had a great time and it exceeded your expectations. I've got 2 weeks and am counting the minutes. Can't wait for the pictures!!

Another thing I forgot to mention - I'm an OJ lover (tropicana no pulp calcium and vitamin D) but the OJ on the ship was TERRIBLE! I had it one morning and wanted to spit it out. Next time I know to bring mine onboard.